British MPs have defeated Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit divorce deal by a crushing margin, triggering political chaos that could lead to a disorderly exit from the EU or even to a reversal of the 2016 decision to leave.
Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn promptly called a vote of no confidence in May’s government, to be held on Wednesday, after parliament voted 432-202 against her deal.
With the clock ticking down to March 29, the date set in law for Brexit, the United Kingdom is now ensnared in the deepest political crisis in half a century as it grapples with how, or even whether, to exit the European project that it joined in 1973.
“It is clear that the House does not support this deal, but tonight’s vote tells us nothing about what it does support,” May told parliament, moments after the result was announced.
“… nothing about how – or even if – it intends to honour the decision the British people took in a referendum parliament decided to hold.”
More than 100 of May’s own Conservative lawmakers – both Brexiteers and supporters of EU membership – joined forces to vote down the deal, leading to the worst parliamentary defeat for a government in recent British history.
The humiliating loss, the first British parliamentary defeat of a treaty since 1864, marks the collapse of her two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit.
So… what now?
May’s spokesman told reporters that May’s deal could still form the basis of an agreement with the EU, but opponents disagreed.
“The EU will see that it must now offer better terms to the UK. If it does not, we must leave to trade on WTO terms,” David Jones, a Conservative pro-Brexit former minister, said.
The small Northern Irish DUP party, which props up May’s minority government and refused to back the deal, said it would still stand behind May in the no-confidence vote. The pro-Brexit Conservatives who were the most vehement opponents of her deal also said they would support her.
The EU said the Brexit deal remained the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there would be no further renegotiation of the agreement and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it would intensify preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
Donald Tusk, the chairman of EU leaders, suggested Britain should now consider reversing Brexit.
“If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?” he tweeted.
The Sterling currency rallied more than a cent against the US dollar, on some expectations that the scale of the defeat might force lawmakers to pursue other options.
May said she would reach out to opposition parties to forge a way ahead. But across the British political spectrum, opponents of her deal said it was dead.
Ever since Britain voted by 52-48 per cent to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016, the political class has been debating how to leave the European project forged by France and Germany after the devastation of World War Two.
While the country is divided over EU membership, most agree that the world’s fifth largest economy is at a crossroads and that its choices over Brexit will shape the prosperity of future generations.
Top Comments
I don't know much about Brexit and have no opinion either way. But it appears that there is nearly no way to leave the Eu once a country have joined. is this a fair assessment?
Seems about right. That old drunk running the EU will ensure that any country wanting to leave will be punished severely.
I think it is possible to leave the Eu once a country has joined- easier than for a state or territory to leave the Australian federation. The problem for the UK is multi-faceted.
On the one hand, voting isn't compulsory in Britain and the margin was very small and there was wide geographical variations in voting preferences. In Australia, a referendum is passed only when 2 thirds the voters in two thirds of the states vote for it. I won't get into the possibly high numbers of protest voters who voted leave, but didn't mean it- they just wanted to upset complacent politicians. And I won't dwell on the campaigns of misinformation. Or the large swathes of voters who didn't vote, because they believed the referendum would be defeated.
On the other hand, the referendum question was highly simplistic. Basically, do you want Britain to remain in the Eu, yes or no? This is like asking a consortium if they want to buy a house at auction, yes or no, and then if the majority vote yes haggling over the price and other terms of the contract. The majority of Britons might want Brexit, but there was never any discussion let alone agreement over the terms. The U.K. Parliament has just rejected the deal that the PM has negotiated because some don't want Brexit, some want a soft Brexit (ie they retain some membership rights), and some want a harder Brexit (less contact with the Eu). Remember how I said that different parts of Britain voted differently? Well some of those parts are threatening to leave Britain if Britain leaves the Eu. It's all fun and games if you're not British.
I hope this helps. (On a side note I'm a latte-sipping lefty, but Teresa May deserves a medal for her valiant attempt to herd 400 or so cats. I'm surprised Mamamia hasn't written about her. She is the personification of resilience.)
I've read that if a model were proposed (ala the Australian Republican referendum of '98) remain would have most definitely won. People are often simplistic thinkers (not saying that is a bad thing or a good thing, just that we are). If they were confronted with various models and the realisation of what leaving meant might hit them, the outcome would be very different. As it is, the previous public vote seems to be invalid as a majority of the leavers have changed their mind when confronted with the reality of it. Like many things, the idea of something can often be very different to the reality once all facts are in. People are stocking up on food, fuel, etc.
Yes, I am impressed by Teresa May. She was handed a shit sandwich and has tried her best to reach a safe path. No leader the Conservatives could choose, could do any better. None. Nor Labour. It is a very tricky situation and none of it her making. She certainly hasn't shied away from doing her very best that's for sure.
Good on them for rejecting the right wing populism masquerading as patriotism that was Brexit. Hopefully we can do the same with Morrisons pathetic Australia day mandates of dress codes and compulsory council ran celebrations.
Your comment typifies the arrogance of the EU and many of those who voted to remain. The deal that May cobled together virtually left the UK a vassal state of the EU, so it was rightfully rejected.
I read a few UK boards and a majority of people who voted No - when they were ill-informed and didn't truly understand the ramifications of leaving, regret it. If another vote were held tomorrow, remain would have a large majority. Leaving will affect everything from food supplies, air carriers, fuel, basically everything. Oh well, some of these far right fools will find out for themselves. I hope those particular voters truly suffer for it, it would serve them right. Just a shame that decent and informed people who did the right thing and were fully informed and considered everything before voting to remain will have to suffer because of the headless chookism brainwashing the the far right populists who time after time after time cut off their nose to spite their face, *just* for the sake of being contrary.
The comment below, for example...
Did you bother to read the deal which May presented to Parliament, or is it less taxing to simply vilify pro-Brexit supporters as right wing populists?